In-Box Review

History

Rivets are a permanent mechanical fastener. Before being installed a rivet consists of a smooth cylindrical shaft with a head on one end. The end opposite the head is called the buck-tail. On installation the rivet is placed in a punched or drilled hole, and the tail is upset, or bucked (i.e., deformed), so that it expands to about 1.5 times the original shaft diameter, holding the rivet in place. To distinguish between the two ends of the rivet, the original head is called the factory head and the deformed end is called the shop head or buck-tail.

Because there is effectively a head on each end of an installed rivet, it can support tension loads (loads parallel to the axis of the shaft); however, it is much more capable of supporting shear loads (loads perpendicular to the axis of the shaft). Bolts and screws are better suited for tension applications. (Edited from Wikipedia).

Set contents

In general, riveting sets serve for riveting of plastic model aircraft kits. By using HGW sets it takes cca 3 hours to rivet whole aircraft in 1:32 scale and 2 hours for 1:48 scale. I would say at least an hour for the 1:72 set. Result is completely "precisely riveted" model kit which is prepared for painting and any other final works. There are 30 sections of decals that apply to specific areas. Placement map included.

We used Japanese documents for preparation of our riveting sets - seemed to be the most serious. The biggest problem was to harmonize the form of real aircraft with its minimized form which is different depending on the variety of producers. For this reason you don´t have to modify (abrade/cut/whatever) any part of your plastic model. We´ve been worked with 0,1 mm tolerance and it just fits perfectly.

Instructions

1. Clean model surface by wet cloth. Optional undercoat is Mr. Surfacer 1000 or Base White.
2. Cut each design out of decal sheet and dip them in warm water (30 - 40°C) for 10 - 15 seconds.
3. Check with finger tip if design loose on base paper. If so place it in proper position on model and slide of base paper leaving design on model.
4. Apply Mr. Mark Softer for undercoat. Move design to exact position with wet finger tip and push out excess of Mr. Mark Softer, water and air bubles which are under the decal - use soft coton cloth.
5. Let the decal dry for cca 2 hours.﻿
6. Wash the area with warm water to remove any glue residue.

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SUMMARY

Highs: Unique details for a specific kit that notes structural details. Rivets stand proud under normal paint application.Lows: Paper backing is white would be better in lt. blue. An overspray of clear gloss would be recommended before using.Verdict: This a good method for covering large areas with the rivet patterns associated with a specific type.

I was building Off topic jet age kits at the age of 7. I remember building my first WWI kit way back in 1964-5 at the age of 8-9. Hundreds of 1/72 scale Revell and Airfix kits later my eyes started to change and I wanted to do more detail. With the advent of DML / Dragon and Eduard I sold off my ...